Volcano Pack:                 

Leah was surpisingly patient when it came to waiting for another to speak - she often did not initiate conversations herself, and so was content to sit quietly however long it may have taken for him to come up with some sentiment, though she began to fidget with her fork after a bit, sensing the tension coming from him, though the aura was not a strained one, not yet, anyway. She finished up her plate a bit after he had consumed his own food, handing the silverware and now dirtied dish to him so that it might be presented for washing later, muttering in response to his question about her rest, "For once." It was a short answer, but it was enough to convey more than a small bit of what she had endured at the hands of her father, and her hands still slightly shook at the thought of what all that terrible man had done to her, when she was forced to stop and consider it, when she was asked about it or had to dwell upon the past. Of course, she often dwelled upon her tragic history as it was on a daily basis anyway, as she was constantly forced to deal with the repercussions of her escape, but still, it was better than living in that place. Where she was always cold, where there was little to no food, and where she could only expect to be beaten, day in and day out, whenever her father happened to feel like it, whenever he had deemed that he needed a way to relieve all of that pent up stress he kept inside during the course of his work day. She blinked, coming back to reality when she witnessed Welkin pressing the button, though she hadn't minded the temperature, not really, or at least, not too much. Just noted that it was growing rather warm, though with her lost body mass and the thin skeleton of a frame she possessed right now, it was a miracle she wasn't freezing all the time. Perhaps that was why she so often wore the sweatshirt, that, and of course, it was all she had. Besides the old, dry rotting t-shirt that clung to her too frail form now, lurking just beneath the shirt itself. She seemed quieter this morning, however, more pensive. Almost as if she weren't used to having this much time on her hands, and in truth, she wasn't. Usually by now she'd have been up for several hours, running, walking, or just generally headed in another direction. A direction in which he was not. A place where her suitor was nowhere to be found. She blinked when he asked his question, pulling her mind back to reality even as her hair shifted and adjusted itself along her neck and shoulders, draping beautifully despite its tangles about her slender form, drifting about the light curvature of her shoulder blades, or scapula, in more precise medical terms. "It was nice," she replied softly, quietly, her whisper of a voice lacking the terrible bite it held before, her black eyes going downcast, staring at nothing in her lap, other than her fingers, the slender pale appendages ghost like outlines in the dim light of the tank, her mind wondering what she was to do, what was next. How was she going to get out of this mess? How was she ever going to move on to have a normal life? Was a normal life even possible for her? She didn't think so, and she wasn't so sure, that upon further consideration, that she wanted one: after all, it meant accepting the fact of who she was and how she had come to be. It meant she had to accept the fact that she was lost. Had nowhwere to turn, nowhere to go. No idea of what to do. Since Welkin had met her, she'd been so strong, so closed off, yes, but standing on her own, fighting for her freedom and struggling through the hell that was her life. Always on the run. Always making decisions on the fly. Now she had a moment's quiet, a second to rest, to recharge and consider, and she found she had no idea of what to do. It was terrifying, and she bit her lower lip, not knowing quite what to make of it, or how to respond. How she should even cope. She could feel his eyes on her, studying and observing no doubt, wondering what was going through her mind, what she was thinking. She didn't hear his soft voice questioning her, didn't hear the gentle tone of, "Leah?" The faltering essence that was his question, because she was too busy throwing herself at him in the motion of a desperate hug that pulled the male close and buried her face and head in his shoulder and neck, curling herself up in his lap in an almost clinging gesture, hands curling into the soft fabric that was the white of his shirt, her tail tucked between the small space between her legs, ears flattened against her skull in a more timid posture. She wasn't crying, nor was she trembling out of cold or fatigue. She wasn't even shivering, really, just shuddering every now and again from the strain of her stress, the weight of the world tumbling back down upon the fragile burden of her young shoulders.

Leah was surpisingly patient when it came to waiting for another to speak - she often did not initiate conversations herself, and so was content to sit quietly however long it may have taken for him to come up with some sentiment, though she began to fidget with her fork after a bit, sensing the tension coming from him, though the aura was not a strained one, not yet, anyway. She finished up her plate a bit after he had consumed his own food, handing the silverware and now dirtied dish to him so that it might be presented for washing later, muttering in response to his question about her rest, "For once." It was a short answer, but it was enough to convey more than a small bit of what she had endured at the hands of her father, and her hands still slightly shook at the thought of what all that terrible man had done to her, when she was forced to stop and consider it, when she was asked about it or had to dwell upon the past. Of course, she often dwelled upon her tragic history as it was on a daily basis anyway, as she was constantly forced to deal with the repercussions of her escape, but still, it was better than living in that place. Where she was always cold, where there was little to no food, and where she could only expect to be beaten, day in and day out, whenever her father happened to feel like it, whenever he had deemed that he needed a way to relieve all of that pent up stress he kept inside during the course of his work day. She blinked, coming back to reality when she witnessed Welkin pressing the button, though she hadn't minded the temperature, not really, or at least, not too much. Just noted that it was growing rather warm, though with her lost body mass and the thin skeleton of a frame she possessed right now, it was a miracle she wasn't freezing all the time. Perhaps that was why she so often wore the sweatshirt, that, and of course, it was all she had. Besides the old, dry rotting t-shirt that clung to her too frail form now, lurking just beneath the shirt itself. She seemed quieter this morning, however, more pensive. Almost as if she weren't used to having this much time on her hands, and in truth, she wasn't. Usually by now she'd have been up for several hours, running, walking, or just generally headed in another direction. A direction in which he was not. A place where her suitor was nowhere to be found. She blinked when he asked his question, pulling her mind back to reality even as her hair shifted and adjusted itself along her neck and shoulders, draping beautifully despite its tangles about her slender form, drifting about the light curvature of her shoulder blades, or scapula, in more precise medical terms. "It was nice," she replied softly, quietly, her whisper of a voice lacking the terrible bite it held before, her black eyes going downcast, staring at nothing in her lap, other than her fingers, the slender pale appendages ghost like outlines in the dim light of the tank, her mind wondering what she was to do, what was next. How was she going to get out of this mess? How was she ever going to move on to have a normal life? Was a normal life even possible for her? She didn't think so, and she wasn't so sure, that upon further consideration, that she wanted one: after all, it meant accepting the fact of who she was and how she had come to be. It meant she had to accept the fact that she was lost. Had nowhwere to turn, nowhere to go. No idea of what to do. Since Welkin had met her, she'd been so strong, so closed off, yes, but standing on her own, fighting for her freedom and struggling through the hell that was her life. Always on the run. Always making decisions on the fly. Now she had a moment's quiet, a second to rest, to recharge and consider, and she found she had no idea of what to do. It was terrifying, and she bit her lower lip, not knowing quite what to make of it, or how to respond. How she should even cope. She could feel his eyes on her, studying and observing no doubt, wondering what was going through her mind, what she was thinking. She didn't hear his soft voice questioning her, didn't hear the gentle tone of, "Leah?" The faltering essence that was his question, because she was too busy throwing herself at him in the motion of a desperate hug that pulled the male close and buried her face and head in his shoulder and neck, curling herself up in his lap in an almost clinging gesture, hands curling into the soft fabric that was the white of his shirt, her tail tucked between the small space between her legs, ears flattened against her skull in a more timid posture. She wasn't crying, nor was she trembling out of cold or fatigue. She wasn't even shivering, really, just shuddering every now and again from the strain of her stress, the weight of the world tumbling back down upon the fragile burden of her young shoulders.

Welkin was caught by surpruise as Leah threw herself at him throwing and wrapping her arms around his sturdy frame. It took him a mere moment to regester what had happened before he gently pulled Leah even closer wrapping his own warm arms gently around her fragile underwight frame. Welkin noticed Leah had not started crying and was a bit worried she was still holding it in.. He gently began to rub her back feeling her stress had come back to hit her with a vengance. Welkin began to massage her back with one arm while the other gentlly reached up to gently brush through her hair and rub her ears gently. Leah felt something warm and fluffy wrap around her and found that Welkin had wrapped his tail around her for an extra layer of his comforting embrace "Its okay Leah.. Im right here..." He spoke softly to her as he held her. Part of him expected her to burst in to tears any moment but another part of him found that unlikely.. "Your safe with me Leah.. I wont let anyone hurt you anymore" He spoke again to her keeping her close to him warming her and keeping her content. For the first time she felt like she never wanted to leave Welkin's embrace. Like it was the last safe place on earth for her. Welkin so badly wanted to tell her how he felt. How he wished to hold her forever and to become her armor that protects her. How he was in love with her. Welkin held her still rubbing her back. decideing now was the time to show her his feelings. Leah felt his aura change a little anxiety mixing in and felt his pulse quicken. "Leah.. I need to tell you something.." He spoke slowly and softly. His voice still smooth and gently. He did not allow it to fail him as he continued "I love you, Leah" He spoke keeping her close. Leah could feel it in him that he was afraid she would snap back and go off on him. But did Leah even know what that word ment..? She had been shown nothing but hate and horror her whole life... Welkin was nervous for her answer. Perhaps she knew what it was from a book or two. Welkin repeated it again to her "I love you Leah... and I dont want to loose you... I dont want to let you go... I wont let him hurt you anymore." He spoke to her letting her do whatever she wanted now. If that was to tear herself away from his arms and proceed to beat him senseless Welkin would allow it. It was Leah's decision on this, not Welkins.

Leah was quiet as she snuggled down deeper into Welkin's embrace, though she stiffened when he took it to the next level, not quite sure if she liked him rubbing her back or running his fingers through the pretty long locks that were the luscious blue of her electric colored hair. She blinked as a small sniffle escaped her, ears flicking as she pricked them, then flattened the decidedly lupine structures back down against her skull, tucking her own tail further into the gentle recesses of her legs, biting her lower lip as she thought, black eyes puzzled, troubled even. She didn't know what she was doing, what she was getting herself into. She'd never really had a friend before, never had anyone to actually care for her...and she found, for the first time in her young life, that it felt....nice. That she was wanted, that she could be given even this scant amount of attention meant to comfort and soothe. That someone would care even just that little miniscule amount meant a great deal to her, but as she sat there, not crying, merely chewing upon her lower lip in a decidedly worried manner, muscles remaining tense, rigid even, instead of slackening or loosening, as instead of relaxing she appeared to grow all the more frigid, the aura about her cooling to icy proportions, wondering just what it was she was going to do, where she was going to go, and how she was possibly going to get herself out of this mess, Leah found herself drawing in a deep breath while listening to the quiet sentiment of his words, picking up on the anxiety and nervousness he alluded. In the short time that she had known him, Leah had never known Welkin to display such fickle feelings of soft emotion save for when he was dying, when he thought his life was over and that he wasn't going to make it out of this mess alive, and she wondered what could possibly be inciting such a reaction in him when she caught the final words, something that froze the very blood within her veins. He could feel her muscles tighten even more, could sense the uncertainty and tension radiating throughout her small form, tightening the fragile aura of her underweight frame. It was almost as if she were at a loss for words, like she didn't know quite what to say. She'd read about love in a few of the books she'd picked up, yes, as some of them were rather explicit romance novels, but she had never found that sort of story entertaining, and so had never really finished them - she believed such sentiments were too good to be true, and that she would only become more miserable after allowing herself to become lost in such. And so she had denied that tiny part of her that longed for love. For acceptance. The part of her that whispered a better life was possible, a normal existence was feasible, and that if she could escape, if she could only escape, that her meagerly minor existence would get better. But in the two years that she had been on the run, in those long months and agonizing days, not once had another person ever even showed they cared. Not until...not until she'd saved Nick. After that, it seemed as if not only he, but his sister, the bouncer, in some shape or form, and now Welkin, especially Welkin, had shown her more gracious tendernes than she'd ever dreamed was even possible. Than she'd ever even dared. Realizing she was holding her breath, Leah released the now pent up oxygen within her lungs back into the welcoming atmosphere that was the air, not quite sure how she should respond. She wasn't sure if she even liked Welkin as more than a friend, wasn't even sure if it were possible for her, of all people, to like anyone as other than a friend...if she could even come to regard them as a friend. Most people ended up as an annoyance. At best. And she didn't know Welkin, not really. Sure, she'd been here when he died. The moment he'd lost his first life - that meant something, she knew, but she wasn't so sure it was love. Leah wasn't even certain she was capable of that particular emotion, wasn't even at all sure that she could manage to bring herself to care about someone's well being other than herself or to consider another's other than her very own. But Welkin had been raised differently. He'd had a home, eventually, with a step father, or adoptive father, as he'd said, that loved him. That cherished him. That had taught him all these things and offered him that chance. A chance that Leah herself never had, and that had left her sorely unprepared to take on or examine anything even remotely like this. And so she blinked, pulling back from him as she scrambled back into the floor, her mouth opening and closing in standard shock as she attempted to work up a reply, ears fluttering nervously about her head, pale hands going back to support her weight as she first met his eyes for a split second, then glanced away, finally murmuring in a snappish tone that brooked no room for argument, "Well, I don't know if I can love you." She pursed her lips for a moment, staring at the floor, wondering how she'd ever even gotten herself into this mess, then, softly, in her deadly manner of a decievingly gentle voice, "You don't know me. I don't know you. Not really. We're just two people thrown together by circumstance. That's it. You can't stop him from hurting me, anymore than you can stop me from leaving once I'm well enough." She was interrupted by the sound of a heavy thump, and she jumped, thoroughly startled by the sudden scent that reached her nostrils, heart rate spiking in the moment of panicked dread, though she knew it had only been a matter of time before he found her, before he was here and ready to take her back to that hellish place run and owned by her father, and she knew then what she must do. Throwing herself to her feet, Leah snarled, backing away from the hatch was it was wrenched open by something beyond human strength, her tail rising in that dominant posture, curving over itself as she displayed that age old defiance, ears straining forward as a warning left her lips, then snapping back as she edged her daggers towards her wrists, working them from the protection of her oversized sleeves, quiet voice whip like and strangely deafening in the sudden quiet.

 

"He's here."

Welkin's ears lowered more and more listening to Leah speak. Showing her uncertanty of if she could love or even if she wanted to stick around with Welkin. He was about to speak before he saw the hatch get thrown open and knew either it was her father, suitor, or both and he knew whoever opened his tank like that did so in an unfriendly mannor. "Leah cover your ears!" He called out to her making sure she followed her command as he grabbed the shotgun he had stashed away and proceeded to fire both barrels up and out of the hatch to atleast knock whoever it was away from the opening. He knew he hadnt hit anyone as there was no screams of pain. He then hefted himself up and out of the hatch without even useing the ladder grabing whoever the attacker was and wrestleing them off the tank and to the ground. Leah could hear the thud and what she did next was up toher. Hide in the tank. help welkin. Or perhaps run for her life and leave welkin to fight. She could hear snarls and thuds outside before a particularly loud slam against the wall of the tank she was next to scared her. She could hear Welkin shouting at the attacker "You are NOT going to take Leah! She has been through enough already!" True to welkin's earlier words he was still playing the role of the protecter for Leah putting himself, this time a bit more recklessly in to harms way for her. Perhaps Welkin had lost hope Leah even liked him. She could see how someone who was so emotional and kind as Welkin could take what she said as she didnt want to stick around him anymore. Perhaps he even took it like she had told him he was becoming something she was running from. Outside Welkin had slammed the suitor up against the tank. They were going at it in hand to hand combat which gave Welkin an edge. Even if the suitor was more powerful Welkin was stressed and the best way he could get it out was a good fist fight. Welkin gave the Suitor a hard right hand to the side of the skull before the suitor pushed Welkin off with both his feet "That girl is MY property and I WILL have her"

Though her ears were covered for theduration of the shot gun blast, Leah could not help but flinch at the immense sound of the weapon going off, her eyes briefly closing as she resisted the urge to duck and cover, her tail swishing briefly towards her legs, dipping momentarily before she raised it again and resumed her defiant stance, lunging forward to follow the male that had just confessed his eternal love for her. Emotions that Leah herself was unsure of how to deal with - her people skills were sorely lacking in the first place, so it was difficult for her to even answer a simple question about herself or how she felt, and then when Welkin had become so deep and serious on her? Well, it had complicated matters further, as far as Leah was concerned, for though Welkin seemed alright, though he seemed like he was a he-wolf of decent origins and honorable intentions, Leah could not entertain ideas of caring for him. Not in that manner - it was all too new, too sudden, and much to confusing. Besides, she hadn't dealt with the issues of her father and the male he'd promised her too yet, and she couldn't very well drag Welkin into it any farther than she already had. He'd died once already, she would not permit him to do so again, despite what he said or the sweet promises he made. It wasn't in her nature to accept help, or to even contemplate the possibility of aid, nor was it in her make up to just lie down and permit another to fight her battles for her; she'd let Welkin do so before only because he had shoved her over the wall and she'd had no way to return, and for the simple fact that in all honesty, if she were being brutally truthful with herself, she wouldn't have lasted more than five minutes in such a fight, with the condition she had found herself in, and the sorry state her once sublime body had been reduced too. Now though, was different, to some extent. Now she was more rested, had at least one decent meal and some snacks beforehand, and now she was more than ready and willing to really hand it to the male who fancied himself her husband, or who would have taken her as his unwilling mate, the female whose father had given her away without asking or without even bothering to seek the little she-wolf's own permission. She was fiesty one, alright, and her will seemed to be made of the purest, hottest fires, as her rage burned deep, and her stubborn nature and obstinate ways, in addtion to her refusal to just lie down and give in, had lended her much in these last two years one more occassions than one when all had seemed irrevocably lost and hopeless, when it had appeared that she might still be doomed to a life of imprisonment, and that she had been so from the very start. But she would not give up, and she would not give in. She might have been terrified, her heart was hammering rapidly in her chest as she grabbed the ladder rungs and hauled herself sloppily up them, kicking out angerily when she slipped once or twice with a frantic snarl, tail lashing as she caught bits and pieces of the sounds outside, and she might have felt the constricting restraints of fear threatening to turn her limbs to jelly and her insides to mush, but she wasn't going down without a fight. Welkin might very well be defeated, and she might very well be taken again - neither of them had any idea what sort of outcome this impromptu battle might foretell, and her visions had not given her the answer to that particular question, only that it did not stop here, that it did not end in this scene, she could sense it - but she wasn't going to just give in and go meekly. To put it simply, Leah was not just going to tuck her tail, hang her head, and follow like a good, timid little dog. No, she was going to put that will of fire to use, and she was going to sharpen those rather rusty fighting skills, the abilities she'd gained in close combat, and she was going to both escape from her tormentors and leave Welkin so that he might be safe, or she was going to die trying. Which, she reminded herself, she very well might, and still quite possibly could. It was not an outcome she liked to contemplate, but it was one of the options all the same. Still, she would not let it stop her, would not let her past and the choices that now hinged upon the fragile frame of the hefty weight upon her shoulders shape and define who she was or what she could be. She would carve her own path, she would make her own way. And the others were simply going to fall in line and get behind her, or they could very well get the hell out of her way while she did it. She didn't care which, only that one of the two were done. Hell, they could do them both, if they wished, for as far as she was concerned, just so long as she was left alone to leave her life as she saw fit, and to do as she pleased with the remainder that was her mediocre existence. Flinging herself free from the now demolished opening of the hatch, though she was somewhat careful when it came to prying her way out, after all, there were sharp edges upon that broken and sheared metal, Leah landed in a nimble crouch upon the track of the tank's once formidable wheel like structure, now broken down and rusting into a pile of nothing, though with a bit of love and a great deal of spit and polish, it could potentially be brought back into working order again. She took only a second to analyze the situation in which her suitor, whose name she now remembered was something along the lines of Edward, though at this point in time she could not have really cared less, duked it out with Welkin, noting with some small prickling sensation of satisfaction that the latter was winning...for the moment, at least. While she might not be able to figure out what exactly drove him to protect her, or how he could possibly love her in any form or fashion, she was after all, a street urchin whose manners were just often considered downright rude, she was glad to see that he was so far victorious in this little spat, not only because it meant she was safer, but perhaps because...she may have come to view him as something of a friend? If she could even find the meaning of the word. But enough of that, she could always analyze and contemplate later, assuming, of course, that there was a later. If things continued down the path they currently seemed to be headed, Leah had no doubt that Edward would be sent racing back to the senator who was her father, or at least, claimed to be in private, with his tail tucked in a cowardly fashion between his legs. As she watched though, pale hands gripping the handles of her daggers tightly, her ears still back and her tail still raised, sharp black eyes glistening in the powerful afternoon light, fully tensed and ready, quite prepared for any other attackers of minions her father might have the foresight to send their way, the miniature war between feuding men took a turn for the worst as Welkin was thrust off of the lean and lanky frame of her suitor and back into the harshly uncompromising structure of the tank, striking his head in such a hard manner and flopping back in such a limp posture that each of the remaining members was sure that he was dead. "Welkin!" Leah barked as she stood, panic momentarily written across her features, ears flicking forward in hopes of catching a wayward beat, terror for his own safety flashing through her very own core of being. She had intended to go to him, to check and make sure that he was really indeed gone and not merely unconscious, as she so desperately hoped for reasons that were still a mystery for her, but it was clear from the sudden onslaught of blood that reached both her nostrils and dared to grace her sight with its horrendous stain that even if such was the case, she was on her own for now, as he certainly wasn't rising, nor was he going to be getting back into the swing of things very soon. With an angry snarl that wavered only slightly, Leah turned to face Edward, just one of the men who had tormented and plagued her mind for the majority of her very existence, her soft voice promising in its most deadly tone, "Come any closer and I promise you that the moments you've left of existence are numbered." Her voice never rose above its normal whisper, and a soft breeze blew past, ruffling the leaves upon the trees in a gentle manner with rustlings murmuring of a dreaded nature, a most unhappy circumstance, but it was heard all the same, and its quiet tones were never misheard or mistaken, even despite the tender crunching of the dirt and gravel beneath her boots as she moved to stand protectively in front of Welkin, knowing full well that even if he were dead, even if that hit had scored a direct death, he still would have had three lives left, and would have returned eventually, though she couldn't be sure how long the revival would take - she hadn't timed it last time, and she was uncertain of how well head wounds might have healed in the restoration process. Still, she wasn't just going to leave him. Though she was shaking like a leaf in the new wind, terrified as a rabbit fleeing the dreaded cat for its life when faced with the sheer magnificence of the hunter, she wasn't going to turn tail and flee. She wasn't even going to cry, or plead, or beg. She just made her promise and took her stance, planting her feet firmly agianst the steadying notion of the earth as she tightened her grip upon her daggers, the ink black surface that was her eyes holding Edward's own, for once, instead of turning away in submission, their silent vow clear and evident, leaving no question about it: if he came nearer, if he dared to threaten her or Welkin again (mainly Welkin, at this point, one would assume), she would, without a second thought, kill him. "Leave this place and never return. Do not come closer. Do not make me kill you."

Edward turned to face leah his tail held high and ears pricked foward. A twisted smirk on his face as he slowly took one step foward. Then another.. "You think im afraid of you little Leah?" He mocks her before giving welkin a brutal kick to the side of the ribs knocking his limp form over showing just how much he was bleeding. "When im through with you ill make sure that little thorn in my side doesnt come back.. Then ill take a few of your own lives as well.. make sure you dint have any leverage over me but for now.. Lets have some fun!" He laughs eventually cornering Leah grabing both of her arms and delivering a stunning headbut to her. Just hard enough to make Leah land on her behind. "Dont struggle or it will hurt more my little toy" He grins droping down straddleing Leah's waist and pinned both her arms down with one arm. Welkin still lay there... appearing dead yet.. He wasnt. He opened his eyes and saw what was happening. Neither Leah or Edward saw Welkin wake. He didnt die.. He probably had a rib broken or worse but he was alive. Shaking even. Not in fear.. In anger. He didnt see Leah and Edward anymore. He saw what had happened 10 years ago. The day he was captured and one of his crew members raped infront of him while he could do nothing. He heard Leahs sceams and began to claw at the dirt rising. Edward had leahs jacket and was getting her shirt off. Just as he went for her lower garments Leah felt his weight get kmocked off of her with a sickening crack. She had her eyes closed when it had happened. When she finnaly looked she heard Welkin shouting in a Language unknown to her as he was on top of Edward absolutely pummleing him. She saw a rifle nearby with its stock soaked in blood from when Welkin had used it to deliver the first blow to Edward. She saw when Edward began to resist in fear of his own life Welkin turn completely savage still in human form going for Edwards throat. She knew in that moment in time Welkin had completely lost it. She wasnt even sure if he knew what was going on anymore. All she knew was that Welkin was not going to stop on his own. In Welkin's mind he was back during the war changeing the course of history.. Back then he had not the strenght to rise up.. But now. He had. His mouth spewing out lines of probably forign profanity or war like crys as whatever was left of Edward's face and neck was completely turned in to red mush. But still Welkin could not stop. He was shaking. Crying even as tears carved out clear paths down his cheeks washing away lines of blood. He couldnt hear Leah anymore. Or really anything. Not even the rain that began to fall. Or the thunder erupting overhead. His hands covered in blood and bits of flesh continued to pummle and tenderize Edwards body. Leah knew edward had to have atleast another life and they could use that to their advantage. Use Edward as leverage against her father perhaps. OR just torture the demented man when he revived. Which surely would take a few days from what Welkin had done

Leah merely curled her lips back in a defiant snarl when he advanced on her, though she was unable to stop him from kicking Welkin's limp form, as he had brutally shoved her to the ground with ease, she did, in fact, retaliate before all was lost and everything seemed hopeless, or at least, before the elder male, who was undeniably larger and far stronger than she, could get the better of her tiny form. Rolling back onto her booted feet, Leah flashed her fangs in a snarl, throwing herself at the man who dared to call himself her husband, daggers out in her hands, ears pinned back against her skull in the most threatening of manners. Her pretty face was twisted in a rather fierce expression, the gleaming white that was her fangs glistened with saliva and blood as she was struck once more in the face, slamming the fragile flesh of her tender cheek against the sharply defined and easily cutting surface that had become such deadly instruments, the blow knocking her momentarily off balance. A blade came up, slicing in an upward arc and into the the curve of Edward's ribs, sliding just beneath the protection offered by the bony thorax otherwise known as the rib cage, for all the good it seemed to do. Leah was sure she had at least nicked his liver and sliced up into the toughened muscle that was his diaphragm, but such wounds were piteous in the eyes of a Wolven - they were bred for more, crafted for far more endurance than could be taken by a little knife wound, and though Leah had rammed the tiny weapon as far up into his body as the she could, stopped onl yby the hilt of its intricate working of an ornate design, it proved to do her absolutely no good. Dread bloomed in her heart as she danced back, avoiding Edward's retaliating blow, leaving the blade only for the male to seemingly laugh and pluck it out, a small spurt of blood now trailing through his lips, the trusted weapon Leah had so willingly put her faith in many times over the years dropping awkwardly in the dust, well beyond her reach and far out of her range. She could have used her telekinesis to regain it, yes, had she been more thoroughly trained in its use and the finer points that required such finesse, but as it was, she wasn't as skilled in the trait as her father. So she was left with one choice: dropping back. Kneeling down for the briefest of moments, the splittest of seconds, she plucked another one from her boot top, flipping it up to heft its weight reassuringly in her hand, long blue hair drifting down to frame her pretty face even while it danced over the aching movement that was her shoulders, breath coming in a quick rasp now, undeniably brought on by her otherwise well concealed fear. For her face showed no signs of the inward terror she was feeling, displayed no emotion that would have relayed such, only a fierce determination to fight on, and to keep Edward at bay for as long as possible. She might be smaller, she might be weaker. But that also meant she was quicker, more agile. Able to dart in and out quickly, and to deliver blows that while stinging, might not end the match, but would certainly take a toll on his endurance. A quick glance about the area as she backed away, always keeping Edward facing her as they circled, showed she would gain no help from the environment - any rocks, fallen logs, or trees she might have used to her advantage were too far off to be of any real use, and to lure Edward so close would only prove to most certainly provide a disadvantage. And so she went with the only option left to her: throwing her knives so that they became embedded in his shoulders, then plunged into his thighs, for she had more than enough to use a mere few in an effort to find his weakness, and she kept several hidden on her otherwise slender form at all times. A perk that came from being on the run, she guessed, and from the knack she seemd to have when it came to stealing things - Leah had proven to be a most natural thief, and have often turned to such a life in order to provide herself with the vital necessities of life, or the bare and basic essentials. Try as she might, however, she was no match for Edward in the long run, not in a drawn out battle, and due to her earlier misuse of power, she was unable to call upon the unique ability to density shift - at least for an extended period of time. She did manage to do so once or twice, as Edward closed the distance and forced her to begin fighting in close hand to hand combat, something she wasn't particularly skilled at, but something she was more adept in than the vile creature that was her suitor had previously thought. She was better at just slamming a face into her knee and kicking them into the stomach to send them stumbling backward, or round house kicking them in the face itself, but Edward didn't really leave that as an option, not with whatever he happened to be hopped up on. If he were even on anything - it might well just be his natural abilities and powers manifesting themselves in some of the most peculiar ways, methods in which Leah herself had never seen. She slapped him, slammed her fist into his face as he first grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her closer to the atrocity that was his hatred form before knocking her feet from beneath her, stealing the breath from her lungs as he slammed her roughly into the surface of the ground, but not before she managed to lash out in a last defiance with a brutal kick that sent him staggering back with a howl of pain, clutching his knee. Her face throbbed from the open handed slap he'd dared to use on her earlier in the fight, and she knew he was using more force than he ought to, which further evidenced his apparent split from reality, though he was currently left defenseless and clutching his patella. Flipping herself back up, Leah crouched, but did not flee, as she normally would have, instead producing a couple more knives from various points on her body and flinging them in his general direction before he could move, though in her altered state, and due to the uncontrollable shaking that had taken over her body (though she wasn't sure if this was from stress or fear, or perhaps the growing sense of dread and doom she was experiencing as the dagger like mark upon her wrist flashed with an ever quickening pulse until it matched the throb of her heart) she missed sorely and sent the blades thundering into the protective bark of a tree. Cursing, Leah moved in as he did, lashing out with a booted foot to the abdomen, only for it to be caught and her form pulled forcibly closer, upsetting her already tenacious balance, a startled snarl of panic escaping her lips as she pulled frantically, attempting desperately to get away, to free herself from the terrible clutches of his grasp, though she was unable to do so before he pulled her close enough and well enough into his reach that the stunning force of his headbutt sent her reeling back into the ground. She lay there a few moments, blinking, clearly stunned as she opened her mouth, spitting a small spurt of blood, the black substance staining the lower portion of her lip as she shook her head, fingers curling into the gentle surface of the earth, sinking into the portion that would have otherwise been turned to dust, attempting to pull herself fogether in time to come up with something new, to fight back. But at this point, Leah knew it was hopeless - she might have been able to phase herself out of this plane for a couple of seconds to escape or avoid a blow, but she couldn't maintain it long enough to escape his clutches, nor could she pull away fast enough to avoid the spindly grip that was Edward's fingers, the ironlike bands clamping upon her wrists as she snapped back into reality and dared to raise her fist against him, finding herself slammed brutally back into the dirt as the male who had been deemed her suitor anchored the frail surface that was her wrists into the springing grass clinging so lightly to the earth, his free hand curling into the long locks of her most beautiful, undeniably - though startingly - luscious hair. She curled her lip in a growl, though the noise died in her throat as she realized his intentions, the writhing kicks in which she retaliated proving entirely and utterly futile, a yelping cry escaping her lips as a knee landed in the once firm muscle that was her abdomen, stealing her breath and silencing her screams, leaving her gasping for air and unable to move, completely and entirely helpless, shaking, trembling, helplessly beneath the being that was to be her husband as he tore at her clothing, ripping it away from its sheltering presence upon her figure without even a second thought, seemingly desperate to exact the right he felt had been denied him, the young blue haired girl, nothing more than terrified heap of now quivering flesh, rendered powerless against him. Her nostrils quivered as she rapidly sucked in a breath, closing the spectacular surface of her black eyes as she turned her head, unable to look at him, swallowing painfully as she managed to release a soft whimper, knowing that it was over, and that all was lost. She had failed. She had been defeated, and now the worst possible revenge was going to be exacted against her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Leah felt the hot heat of the trears first prick her eyes, then drip down the pale surface that was ordinarily her cheeks, the once white surface now stained a brutal red, already turning purple and blue, both from the bruise Edward had enacted upon her, and from the shame that coated her body, quivering in the helpless and hopeless entrapment that was her predicament, only sorry, in some weird, twisted sense, that she had failed Welkin - she had promised herself she'd protect him there in those few moments after Edward had taken him down, but as it had been made abundantly clear, she wasn't even able to protect herself. And now? Now she was going to pay the price. She should have run when she had the chance. She knew that, was fully aware of it, yet some part of her was glad that she hadn't, was actually proud that she had stuck around and remained for the duration of the battle, for at the end, she could die with the comfort of the fact that at least she had tried. The sudden freedom from his heavy weight gave her pause, and she took a second to register it, mind racing as she attempted to figure it out when the sound of the snarls stole what little breath she had regained, bringing the female into a roll on her side, wincing in a bit of pain as she felt the tenderness upon one side - that would be particularly sore tomorrow, she imagined - to see the brutality that was Welkin pummeling the snot out of her attacker....except, that wasn't Welkin. At least...not the Welkin she knew. Not the Welkin she considered her friend, and that in reality, once this was all over and she was allowed to grow, to experience life and become her own person, that she could come to love. Her breath was stolen as she watched him, dark eyes worried and fearful at this sudden turn he seemed to have taken, the staining surface of Edward's blood splashed across her face as she hauled herself to her feet and dragged her aching body over to them, throwing herself against the brown haired male's back and shoulders, the wiry strength that was left in her arms clutching him in a last ditch effort to bring him back to reality, her trembling voice echoing with a cry of, "Welkin, stop!" Her face was pressed firmly into the surface between his shoulder blades, her barely repressed sobs threatening to burst forth and send her over into the edge of hysteria. The feel of the cooling rain calmed her, slightly, but the terror she felt in the face of Welkin's wrath was still there, and the sheer surge of emotion that had guided her to this course of action was still crashing through her already shot and shattered nerves, the long blue vision that was her hair the only definition of what remained of Leah in the dying afternoon light, though she was soon drenched in the coming downpour, the thunder rolling in a deafening series of crashes overhead, her own black blood dripping from various portions of her body, running down to mix and mingle with Welkin's own, and perhaps that of Edward as he lay there, eyes lifeless and glazed over, body going rigid and stiff in the throes of death. "Just stop...please...he's dead." The finalty of her tone brought him back from the brink of rage that he had felt so keenly, as did the shuddering knowledge that was her muscles twitching and jumping from the strain and stress of the day, her body already showing signs of wear and tear from the apparent beating she had taken.

(that post i did was ass XD allow me to repost now im back on my computer) Welkin suddenly tensed up snapping back in to the present day. Reality. Welkin looked down at his hands. Covered in blood and shaking. Then at the beaten dead form of Edward.. Then at Leah who had seemed to taken a bit if a beating herself. His head throbbed as blood still ran slowly down his face. Then it hit him harder. Welkin had did this. He started to shake more and more tears ran down his face. His ears lowered and his tail tucked between his legs in fear "I-Im.. sorry...." Was all he could get out. Leah knew he was afraid. Afraid of himself and what he had just done. Afraid Leah would want to get as far away from this unstable man as possible. To turn and run while she had the chance. Yet Leah surely wouldnt do that. And Welkin should have known better yet he still wasnt in a good state of mind. And his splitting headache didnt help when it came to thinking at the moment. "Im a monster.... I.... did this..." His voice was quiet.. scared..Perhaps later on Leah could talk to him about this. Perhaps even she would understand. For leah had never known much about Welkin in the war. She had no idea He watched helplessly one of his friends get raped by the enemy. Leah hadnt known Welkin had spent two years of his life as a prisoner of war brutally tortured and beaten day in and day out. Welkin had blocked that off to a small space of his mind and built a wall around it but.. What he had seen between Edward and Leah destroyed that wall and Welkin couldnt take seeing it all over again. And he couldnt dare just watch Leah of all people. The only woman in this world who he had expressed feelings for be taken. After all he had promised her he would protect her. And he delivered yet again. "Im.. sorry.." He shook more as the rain came down on both of them, They should get inside and tend to eachothers wounds. Leah had a few sore spots and cuts but Welkin had a headwound and perhaps a broken rib that needed attention. Leah knew Welkin wouldnt loose another life if she helped stop the bleeding. The tank hatch was okay and it still worked but Leah knew the lock hadnt been set seeing how easily it opened. Welkin looked back up at Leah His brown eyes full of fear and sorrow. He managed to get two more words out that really struck Leah's heart and made it clear Welkin needed her just as much as she needed him even if neither knew it. "D-dont... go.." He spoke so quietly.. Almost as if he was a lost child begging not to be left behind. And there was also the question as to what to do with Edward. Someone had to make sure if he got back up he didnt go anywhere or couldnt fight. Neither knew how many lived he had. Or what to do to him if he got up. Perhaps Leah could have him tied up and take her time tortureing him. Or perhaps she would kill him quickly. Or they could use him. Use him to go after her father and destroy any allys he had in power. Of course if he found out Leah and welkin killed edward they would become numbers one and two most wanted. Welkin stayed where he was. Waiting for Leah to speak or do something. She saw behind those eyes Welkin still was the warm kind person she befriended. And that was never going to go away

Leah knew the exact instant he calmed, as she felt the tension and anger leave his form, was present when the sheer emotion known as rage leaked freely from his being to ebb away into the ether of nothingness, though she said nothing, merely continued to hold him, curling her fingers tighter into the soiled mess of his clothing in answer. Yes, he had done this. Yes, he had scared her terribly when he appeared to have lost himself, but she knew that deep down, he was still her Welkin, the man who had come to her aid when there was nothing in it for him and who had looked out for her even at the cost of one of his own lives, even if Leah herself still could not fathom why, and in all honesty, not even she was aware of just how much she truly, utterly needed him. All she knew was that she couldn't leave him. Not yet, not now. Not like this. She could feel the trembling that racked his larger form, could hear the rasping pain that had to accompany his every breath, noting that beneath her fingers there was a distinct grinding, something that she took to indicate a broken rib - she'd had several of them before, knew what they sounded and felt like. But more important was the head wound. With it, Welkin could wind up in serious danger if he didn't receive some sort of medical treatment, and by professionals, not just some teenage girl of sixteen years fancying she herself was a doctor, as she most clearly was not, and nor would she ever be, not unless she happened to choose and pursue that course of study, though it seemed unlikely that Leah would be able to relate to her patients on any sort of personal level, should she opt to chase after such a ludicrous dream, such an unorthodox passion. Her ears were still flat against her skull, her own form was shivering against his own, its shuddering increased due to the manaical beings known only as stress and fear, not to mention the soaking drench of rain that permeated what was left of her clothing, that drifted through the otherwise resilient fibers of the garments she had once worn, though the entire front was torn out of both her sweatshirt and tank top underneath, leaving only the area of her bra and all to skinny abdomen exposed. Under such circumstances, should she have drawn back to reveal her form to him, to look him in the eye of her own accord by lifting her head, instead of merely opening an eye and twisting her face up to peer at his, that was, he would have clearly been able to see the bony outline of her ribs, and would have taken into account just how underweight she was, but as it happened, through it all, his return to reality, his realization he had committed such an atrocity (though Leah herself considered it a public service, or perhaps a person service rendered in direct result of his feelings for her), and his subsequent betrayal of himself, his blaming and guiltied conscience, Leah kept herself pressed up against his back, her arms wrapped snugly about the otherwise secure frame of the man she would grow to love, or perhaps already cared for, though neither she nor Welkin at this point had recognized it, her fingers entwined tightly in the tattered scraps that was his shirt. Upon hearing his voice, the pitience of guilt that so evidently plagued him as Welkin began comparing himself mentally, at least, to her former captors and pursuers, she had adjusted her head ever so slightly - where her face had formerly been pressed tightly against his back and shoulders, fists tangled in the lapels of the torn and battered shirt, now stained a burgundy red with Edward's blood, pretty and somehow soft features hidden from his view - it was now turned up so that her fragile and frail mein faced his own, tender black hues of her eyes holding his even as tears welled unseen behind their echo, glistening in the dying light as the thunder cracked, rolling across the now ebon sky, lightning flashing eeriely amongst the ever thickening back drop that was the clouds, each as dark and broiling as the vast essence of the skies. However, she did not cry. As she had sat there, listening to the terrible noise of Welking pounding Edward into the ground, taken back to that wretched time in which she had suffered a similar fate at the hands of her father, and at the ripe age of nine, nonetheless, she had known that Welkin would come back to her, had known, too, that he would need her - that she could not just leave him when she was well enough, as she had originally intended. She had wanted to protect him, instead of the other way around, to keep him safe and prevent him from becoming something like this on her account, to save him from the monsters and demons inside. But alas, like always, as had been proven to her over and over again, she was not strong enough, and like it or not, she most likely never would be. It was true, she had taken a beating, yes, but it was nowhere near what Welkin himself had suffered; he had a head wound and a broken rib that needed immediate treatment. She just had some bruises, nothing that she hadn't had before, and nothing that she wouldn't end up having again. For even if she managed to escape her father, even if she managed to get away from the crushing rule of his thumb, Leah knew there would always be fights, and there would always be oppressors. She would always have to fight. And fighting, more often than not, usually led to bruises. But now was not the time for such thoughts. Now was not the time for such reflections. It was clear by the shivering note in his quivering voice that Welkin needed her now more than ever, and that now, more than ever, she had to be strong. She had to pull it together. She had to be the rock. The center. She had to be the one to take responsibility. To take charge and call the shots. In short, she had to be the caretaker and decision maker. She had to be the one to lead. A scary thought and an even more chilling fact, but one that was there, nonetheless. And so she would. Sucking in a deep breath, Leah tightened her hold on Welkin's chest, curling her hans more securely, more firmly, into the essence of his tarnished and ruined clothing, giving a short, though somewhat curt, nod as she came to several decisions and prepared herself - now was the time to act upon and enforce them. "I'm not going anywhere." She promised quietly, though he could have deduced as much from the firm way in which she held him - it was as if, through the sheer power and emotion of her embrace, the way in which the two seemed to cling to one another in that special, sacred moment, that he knew, he simply knew, that Leah wasn't running, and that she wasn't going anywhere. Ever again, or at least, not anytime soon. That she was done fleeing, and that she was done with the idea of moving on just so he would not become more deeply involved - it was a bit too late for that, anyway. Bracing herself, Leah stood, reaching down to shift her arms up beneath Welkin's gritting her teeth against the effort as she helped him stumble and stagger to his feet, voice soft yet firm as she murmured, "Come on. We have to get out of the rain." It was a command as much as it was a request, and one that Welkin was in no shape to disobey or argue about, for the longer they sat here, the longer he remained upright, in the plaguing chill of the rain and with the draining, dizzying natuer of a head wound that slowly but steadily stole his strength, the weaker he would undeniably become. "We need to get those wounds looked at." Throwing one of his arms over her slender shoulders, Leah took a portion of his heftier weight, not seeming to mind the extra effort it required, or even bothered by the additional strain it would place upon her lighter form. Almost as if she were bound and determined to haul him back into the safety of the tank, one way or another. She knew they would have to move on from here - the sooner, the better, but first, she had to patch him up, get him in at least stumbling shape, and then she would have to do something with Edward. Make sure he couldn't get back to her father. It would take time for her sire to send more minions this way, and it would take them a good bit of time to pick up the trail, but in the mean time, she couldn't risk her suitor making the escape and reporting exactly where the two of them were or what all had happened. He had to be dealt with. Perhaps permanently.

Welkin kept silent as he listened to Leah speak. His dirty and disheveled hair blowing around slightly as the wind began to pick up. He let out a pained grunt as he stood with Leah's help. Welkin didnt let too much of his weight rest on Leah partly because he was worried she wouldnt be able to support it. And partly because he didnt need to. Welkin was badly messed up but he was tough, which by now had to be obvious at how he was able to run full speed not even an hour after being shot in the stomach to save Leah, or how he had managed to get back to the tank the first time before dieing in Leah's arms. The broken rib didnt bother Welkin other than the pain he felt when he had to stand. It hadnt peirced through any vital organs or his lungs which was a good thing.Welkin was however worried about his head wound. He couldnt see himself yet and had just no idea how much he had bled. His skull was intact and he had perhaps a concussion and some deep cuts from where his head hit the metal of the tank, not to mention a horrible headaech and a pit in his stomach from when he lost himself earlier. The rain had been able to wash the blood off his face mostly as he reached the tank with Leah. He slowly was able to climb on to the frame of the armored hulk only pauseing once to close his eyes and make his world stop spinning for a few moments.  The sky was darkening and Welkin sat atop the tank near the hatch and ladder. He turned to see what Leah was doing as she hadnt climbed up with him yet. He was curious what she would do to her suitor. Was there a way to ensure he didnt come back? Or would she wait for him to wake up and finish him off again. Welkin was worried for her and didnt want her to sit outside by herself in the storm. "Are.. you coming.. Leah..?" He asks quietly as the rain picked up more. The way Edward was now Leah could reason it would take more than 24 hours for him to revive as Welkin really had done a lot in his rage. Welkin did have a medical pack somewhere in the tank and had basic firstaid training as well as a more detailed field manual for medics somewhere as well which Leah could use if they didnt end up at the hospital which could be avoided provided his head injury wasnt too bad. Welkin was walking and talking and was cohearant which was a good sign. Just perhaps dizzy and off balance. Welkin waited at the top of the tank reluctant to go inside untill he knew what Leah was going to do. He knew she wouldnt flee from him now. And knew the words she had just spoken were true. But he was worried she wouldnt come inside right away and feared something else might happen to her. So he waited for her at the top not minding the rain too much at the moment.

Leah paused at the foot of the outside stairs, letting Welkin go up before her, watching with a small spark of worry flickering in that dark gaze as he ascended - she knew he was tough, and more than capable of handling himself both in a fight and in picking himself back up after a near fatal injury, that had already been proven in the case of when he had hauled himself back to the tank with the last of his strength before passing on in Leah's grip. But still, though she was not a doctor, and though she had little to know medical expertise, Leah knew that the head wound was pretty nasty. True, he was up, he was walking, and he was talking. He was coherent. Even so, she didn't like the looks of it, nor did she particularly enjoy the implications of what it might mean, of just what it might have wrought. However, it wasn't like she could climb up the rails with him, though if he'd needed her too, she damn sure would have found a way. As it was, she believed he was fine to do that on his own, and so merely waited at the base of the stairwell in apprehension as he ascended, hoisting himself up on rather unbalanced, and dangerously swaying, feet. If he had needed her to, if he had fallen or even looked as if he might be getting ready to lose the formidable structure that was his grip, Leah would have caught him, as she had positioned herself in the prime area for such a feat, should it happen to occur. Once he reached the top, however, she relaxed, even if it was just a bit, turning her black gaze back to the broken, crumpled body of her suitor, the male known to her only as Edward. The male whom had attempted to ravage her, to take advantage of her female status and overpower her with his larger weight and superior strength. And it had almost worked - despite her best effort, despite the fact she had fought with all her might ot protect both herself and Welkin from his damaging grip, he had almost taken her. A shiver passed through her too tiny form as she reflected upon this one, single fact, the knowledge running over and over in her head, causing her ears to flatten involuntarily against her skull while her tail, a tiny structure sleek and agile in its essence, swayed by her legs. The pale instruments that were her fingers reached up, clasping the tattered edges of her ripped and torn sweatshirt, drawing them closer together even while she attempted to cover her now exposed body, not wishing for the world to be able to see pretty much everything, save for what was shielded and covered by the fragile surface of her bra. The cold sheets of rain drenched her, brought her back to reality, if only briefly, before her mind set about to roaming once more, turning over each and every possibilty and what it could mean, what sort of repercussions there were with each individual course of action. The water slid down her back, she'd been standing out here so long, the torn remenants of her clothing garments unable to shelter her from the bitter wind that whipped across the area, lifted the now stringy appearing strands of her hair from the shaking visage of her shoulders, the slender curve of her collar bones jutting thoroughly through the thin layer of what had once been her clothing. Leah didn't know what to do: she could still leave, from here, should she chose to, but then, what about Welkin? He wasn't up for any kind of long journey, she could tell, and she wasn't going to leave without him. She had promised. But nor could the two of them continue to stay here - it was simpy too risky, especially now that Edward had found them. If he had, the other minions would, and perhaps far more quickly, as Edward hadn't exactly been the most dedicated or renowned of trackers. A soft sigh escaped her lips, a sound that was taken by the screaming essence of the wind, the otherworldly female spirit screeching like a banshee, a chilling omen that claimed one was about to die, if one could believe the legends. Leah knew it was just an old myth, and that the wind wasn't really carrying such a call on it, but still, she couldn't stop the connection from forming between the two sounds, any more than she could help her own continued desire to breath. It sent another chill down the length of her spine, the tender emotion that was her fear sliding its icy fingers down the agile back, though she did not display it openly for Welkin - but then, she didn't need to, did she? He always seemed to know what she was feeling, how conflicted and torn she was. How unsure and uncertain she felt, until life had taken its drastic turns, and until it had offered and presented her with so many differing and blossoming possibilities. Leah clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering, feeling her body beginning to go numb from the chill carried on by the embittering cold, wondering what they should do with Edward - just like so many other things, they couldn't just leave him outside. Not forever. However, Leah wasn't about to bring him in, not with the fact she still needed to tend to Welkin. He had wounds, serious ones that required some type of medical aid, even if it were inexperienced, and he most certainly didn't need her suitor's dead body in the tank with them while he recovered, reminding the normally gentle male of just what he had done for her, of all people. A has been. A nobody. Someone, who, until now, hadn't even had the luxury of what one called a home. Hearing his call, Leah jolted out of her trance, shuddering as she blinked, looking up at him as she lifted her ears, realizing how late it had gotten, and knowing instinctively she had been standing there like a knot on a log for some time. It was no longer an option to dally, or a choice to dwell. "Coming," she mumbled as she reached up, grasping the cold metal of the steps, feeling it bite into the wearily aching appendages that were her fingers, hoisting herself a bit tiredly up onto the ladder like rungs, working her way up to him. "Let's get you inside," she murmured softly, not looking him in the eye - how could she, when she was so confused, when she didn't know one way from the other, wasn't sure what was up and what was down? Besides, he deserved better than her. So much better. He didn't need some little runaway with daddy issues. He didn't need some girl who came with a multitude of problems. But here she was, and here he was, and it seemed as if, at this moment in time at least, all they had was each other.

Welkin began to climb down the ladder down in to the tank and slipped just slightly almost looseing his grip. He looked up at Leah as she caught him making sure he didnt fall and hurt himself "T-thanks" He gave a small smile glad she didnt let him fall. He got down off the ladder and sat down taking what little of a shirt he had off and tossed it to the side. It was ripped dirty and bloody. But now his chest was exposed to Leah but Welkin didnt notice how that could be a bit odd but it had to be done. He handed Leah a shirt that she could wear if she needed to. It was a bit big but would keep her warm. "Here.. your soaking wet... " He also had handed her a towel to use to dry herself off and then he turned the heat on in the tank to help dry them off. Then Welkin went uncharacteristicly silent... something odd and even troubbleing Leah before he spoke again "Leah... Im sorry... I... Was.. I to late..?" He asks his voice shaking a bit. He wanted to know if he had saved leah before the suitor had taken her.. or if he had failed her "I promised you id protect you... i should have been able to get up faster... im sorry..." He didnt look at her now.. He wiped his face off and began to clean any blood he had gotten on his face and hair off slowly so Leah could inspect his head wound easier. Leah felt his tension. He felt like he had failed her in some way. That Welkin had not lived up to his promises... His responceabilitys and his duty to protect Leah from harm.

Leah lingered just outside the lip of the tank's opening, waiting until Welkin had begun to descend, her hand snapping out and catching him about the wrist almost without her even thinking once he had slipped, ears pricking forward as he murmured his thanks, the muscles in her body taut with tension as she strained to hold onto him in those all to brief seconds - she could hoist him up, and she could support his weight when walking, but this was a bit more difficult, and the positioning was not in her best interest - should he have fallen completely and she was forced to hang onto his dangling form, th pair would have been in trouble indeed, as Leah wasn't sure if she could have held him up then. After all, he was a lot larger than her, and unlike the usual circumstances, gravity was working against the two of them here. It would have been pulling Welkin down with more force than outdoors, and she would have been forced to attempt to compensate for that while balancing upon the slick structure of the tank's hatch in the midst of the pouring rain, a feature her skin had grown numb to, it had already pounded into and dulled her senses so very much. Her fingers were cold, deathly so, and her breath appeared to be clouding in the air, even if it was just ever so slightly. Steadying him until he regained his grip, Leah merely offered a mute nod, watching until he had made it all the way down before manuevering herself into the tight space, using all the strength left within her wiry arms to pull the hatch closed and lock it, effectively sealing them in their little hiding place and offering them at least some type and form of protection. Making her way into the main entrance, Leah proceeded to peel off her sopping wet boots, prying away the sodden structures that were her socks with a grimace, wrinkling her nose as she tossed them in the far corner, just behind the ladder, where they wouldn't be easily spied or seen. That done, she turned, knowing that Welkin's well being was more important - she could change the rest of her clothes later, she just hadn't wanted to track water all across his otherwise clean floors. Finding he'd already peeled off his own shirt, she blinked, as she couldn't help but take note of the superb musculature beneath the strong frame of his form, or the well toned and defined built he kept, and quite obviously often strove to maintain. A slight flush crept up her cheeks as she turned her eyes politely away, mumbling a thanks as he handed her a shirt in which to change into of her own, prying off the soaked scraps of clothing that remained about her torso, though she left the soggy fibers of the jeans on - she wasn't going to be parading around in her underwear, that was for sure. Besides, she was pretty sure that was soaked through too, at this point. Her customary tartness was evidenced a second later as she retorted to his comment of her own sodden appearance, responding in almost record time, "You're not so dry yourself, there, Rambo." She ran the towel over her hair and then her body, briefly, before pulling on the shirt. She wished she could change her bra, but knew that Welkin wouldn't just happen to have one of those lying around, and there was no way she was taking it off. Not after what had almost happened. Its presence there gave her some odd sense of security, some small source of comfort. It attested to the fact that though he had tried, Edward hadn't gotten to her, that Welkin had been there in time and put a stop to it first. She did, however, note how silent he had gotten as she made her way over to him, rummaging around until she had found some bandages and the medical edition he'd mentioned earlier, flipping its pages in a skimming manner until she found what she needed. She had begun to tightly wrap bandages about his rib cage to stablize his rib when he spoke, and she paused, the chill that permeated her skin still clearly there, as the slender appendages scraped lightly against his own flesh, her own form growing still in the quiet yet dim lighting that surrounded them in the tank. Thunder rumbled once more outside, and in the distance, Leah heard lightning crack across the vast expanse that was the sky, though it did little to drown or cover her voice as she replied, "Don't be sorry. You saved me." Finishing up with his ribs, she moved around to his front, her form casting a vague shadow for a second as she blocked the light for a split instant, moving so that she knelt on his lap, partly so that she could see his head wound better, and partly just because it gave her an excuse to be close. Though if asked, she still wouldn't admit it. Reaching up with uncharacteristically gentle fingers, Leah grasped his chin, pressed her hand to one side of his cheek as she turned him so that he faced her, the inky wells of her own black depths peering into the molten brown of the male's eyes, orbs that reminded her of the chocolate chips found in cookies, soft and gooey while fresh from the oven, warm and gentle even in the darkest, dimmest of lights. She was supposed to be looking at his injury, but instead, Leah found herself staring almost breathlessly into his eyes, an almost tearful expression upon her own mien, chin threatening to tremble as she whispered, "You weren't too late. Never think it. Never be sorry. You've no need to apologize." There were unshed tears welling in her eyes, and as he sat there, stunned at the sheer display of emotion, so uncharaceristic for Leah, feeling the coldness of her hands, the soft contours that were her body, Leah lifted her face to his own, so that they were barely an inch apart, lips almost touching, coming very close to meeting, her form leaning almost enticingly into the well of strength that was his own. 

Welkin sat there as he looked in to Leah's own dark and wonderous eyes as she told him not to be sorry. Welkin could see and feel her emotions and unshed tears and felt that she had a different composure than before. He felt his heart pound harder as leah leaned in. "Leah.." Welkin murmered softly before leaning in closeing the distance between them their lips meeting for the first time. Welkin was nervous as he knew or thought Leah was as well. He gave her every chance to stop and pull away or push him away if she had a second thought. And if she didnt he welcomed her in to his arms letting her lean closer untill he could gently pull her a little closer as they held the kiss eyes closed, if she didnt pull away. Welkin was nervous she would snap back to her normal self and perhaps get angry at herself or even at himself or ashamed. He had hoped she wouldnt. Hoped Leah finnaly realised there was something growing between them. Evenmtually they had pulled away one way or another. Either by leah stopping him or by them both needing some air. Welkin was blushing deeply giving his face a cute look to it, one Leah hadnt seen before. He was speechless but Leah knew he was nervous and was worried she would regret what she had done. Perhaps she could show him if she didnt regret it

Her mouth had parted slightly as he leaned down closer to her, his face just a few centimeters from his own as he murmured her name, his particularly unique calling leaving her lips in a resulting echo, the word a soft whisper of sentiment uttered just before his lips came pressing ever so softly, gently and sweetly, into hers, the shock of the contact stealing the breath from her lungs. First it hitched in her throat, body tensing as she realized how close she was to him, and just how intimate their touch was becoming, but she did not pull back, nor did she pull away, only to retreat into her shell once more and shut him out again, as she had pretty much everyone else in her life, or even those who could have been in her life. No, instead, Leah released the air she'd been holding in the aching expanse of her lungs with a gentle exhale and a murmured moan, the hand that had been pressed so firmly into the yielding flesh of his face sliding up and behind his neck, fingers tangling in the still damp locks of his hair as she avoided his wound and levered herself closer, the digits that had sought his chin tracing his jawline before making their way down his neck and across the broader expanse of his shoulders, leaning more fully into him, so that their bodies were now meshed together, almost entwined with the other, her black eyes sliding closed, as for once, she gave in, permitting herself to feel as she never had before, for the fickle monstrosities that were her own self images and the pent up cage of her feelings free and loose for the first time in her life, seeming to melt against the reassuring warmth of his own form as he pulled her closer, almost as if she couldn't get enough, as if she craved the affection, the compassion. The attracting allure of their contact sent the heat of desire flooding through her, but she managed to resist that urge, at least, recognizing their relationship wasn't yet far enough along for that, they were barely past the "getting to know one another" stage, as evidenced by the nervous tension that thrummed through Welkin's figure, humming just beneath the surface as first he, and then Leah, pulled back, each unable to maintain the delicate hold for lack of air, breathing a bit heavily as each respective individual gasped for air, eyes alight with the flickering depths of passion, and perhaps apprehension. She couldn't help the slight smile that quirked the gentle definition of her lips as she noted the blush, the embarrassed way in which he wouldn't look at her, her fingers interlocked along the girth of his shoulders, still looped about his neck, her smaller, more slender figure tucked securely along the snugging warmth of his own, her quiet voice murmuring, "Sorry - I'm supposed to be fixing that head wound." She had realized there was something growing between them, but she wasn't sure what it was, and she was afraid to admit it, fearful of accepting the fact that it were true - because if she did, and this didn't work out, if it did, and they were separated by her father, if she were unable to escape him and Welkin were unable to protect or rescue her, if she were forced to go with her suitor...then she didn't know if she had the strength to go on. Didn't know if she had the devotion or dedication to survive. And she didn't want to do that to him - he didn't deserve it. He had done nothing but offer her safety, friendship, protection, and now, after all they had been through, he had given her one of the greatest gifts of all: love. He didn't deserve to suffer should she once again be taken, didn't deserve to wile away his existence pining away over some girl he had barely known, yet here the two of them were, flirting with disaster, so to speak, and courting trouble, something that seemed to be a specialty of Leah's, truth be told. "Duck your head down a little, so I can actually see," she grumbled a moment later when he didn't respond, lightly adjusting him to where she required him to be and aligning the anatomy of his head just how she needed. That done, she inspected the wound, probing its outer edges gently with her fingers, muttering with a slight curse, "I think it needs stitches. We could go to the hospital, if you're not comfortable with me playing doctor. But they'll ask questions." She relaxed back into a sitting position where she had initially raised up, in order so that she might get a better view of the injury and properly make a determination, her own black eyes meeting his briefly as he winced, then raised his gaze to her own, the little female tracing her fingers over the gentle definition of one ear while she waited, clearly relying upon his response. She wasn't sure how else to continue, and she didn't want to get so involved in personal issues that they let the time slip away and put off what could potentially be critical treatment, as certain things had a time line in which they had to be attended.

Welkin tried his best not to move when she probed and examined the head wound his face still blushing a few shades of red more than normal. He wasnt nervous because he wasnt sure of his feelings, he was sure of them perhaps a day or two after they met. He was nervous of rejection but that had all disapeared when she returned his affection. He didnt want to go to the hospital. He knew they would ask questions and perhaps even put leah in danger if the senator had goons there or even doctors on his payroll. They could so easily be taken by surprised drugged and captured that way and Welkin would not let that happen. "Im okay with you doing it. Its too dangerous to go in to the city now..." He spoke softly and grabbed the firstaid kit off of the wall "A bit of disenfectant some stiches and a wrapping of bandageing and ill be okay." He gave Leah a reassureing smile showing he was going to be okay. The bleeding had slowed tremenduously and they were closeing the wound so it wouldnt get agrivated and bleed anymore. Welkin would be fine thankfully partly because of his wolven blood and partly because of his natural toughness. "I can stich it myself if your too uncomfortable with it.. i just need you to hold a mirror so i can see what im doing" He spoke softly unsure if Leah wanted to or even knew how to properlly stich something like this. "Leah.... Could i ask you something?" He asks softly as they got ready to begin their  little stiching operation. "If... your suitor, edward was out of the picture your father would no longer need to sell you to him to get rid of debt... is... there any chance he would let me buy you...?" Welkin asks softly. He asked so not in a way as if he was purchaseing Leah as a slave or as a bride as edward has, "I have money saved and i dont really plan on useing it for much anyway... not like i need a house to buy or a car.. if... i have enough and he would go for it id buy your freedom..." He looked up at Leah wondering how much or even if her father would concider selling Leah's freedom or if he would be a man of his word. Welkin knew it was wishful thinking and this wouldnt end untill either they were both dead or captured. or untill her father was dead. "I know its not a likely chance.. I just wish we could not have to worry about it anymore. But even if that wont work im not letting him take you back. not unless i run out of lives and even then ill do everything in my power in that next world to try to help you here Leah.." He looked in to her eyes as his brown orbs shined with determination. Welkin really was serious about protecting Leah at any cost. Something Leah would find comforting [

She bit her lower lip when he refused to go to the hospital, not at all sure that she could stitch it herself, but, at the very least, she was willing to try. Accepting the first aid kit from him, she pulled the med book closer, using the index to flip to the appropriate page, murmuring in her deadly soft voice, her quiet tones that almost never raised, save for when she was in a time of dire stress or extreme frustration, an instance of monumentous proportions, "I'll try it. Probably need to get used to this anyway, if you're still intent on putting up with me." She had already begun the process, pulling his head back to where she needed it once again, which also happened to be uncomfortably close to her own form and figure, where he might be a touch uncomfortable regarding his positioning and adjustment, when he next spoke, and the female paused for a mere breath before nodding her permission for him to ask, though based on the fact he was asking, she assumed it either wasn't pleasant, or at the very least, wasn't a pretty sentiment. The needle would have stung as she threaded it through the tender flesh of the ragged gash, wincing with each and every stitch she put in, as none were perfect and nearly all were crooked, in addition to the fact that she knew they simply had to hurt. But she was reassured by his gentle smile and the manner in which he responded and held himself, signifying that he was alright, and that he was going to be okay, a belief that inwardly, she clung tightly too, even if she had withdrawn the overly emotional part of herself, shielding it away with a partial wall - Welkin could tell that this was her coping mechanism, that though she had revealed that vulnerable bit of herself to him, though she had expressed a return of his affections during the length of their kiss, something she would gladly do again, if given the chance, or if he so chose to initiate another session of such himself, she had sensed it surprised him, and she wasn't sure how to handle it, or the moments after, herself, and so had reverted partially back to her old ways in a brazen effort to cope. But still, it was different. Weaker, not quite as closed. Not so cold, nor did she appear so uncaring. Her fingers were gentle as she worked with his injury, not wanting to cause him any undue pain or unnecessary trauma, but she couldn't help but falter in her doings as he uttered the question upon his mind, both surprised and utterly astonished that someone would go to such lengths to her, or that they would even consider it as such an option. She knew his words were chosen carefully, to reflect his view that she was not just some object, some item that was to be bought or sold, and that he only offered it as a solution because he hoped it might be a way to get out of this without further bloodshed and chaos, without further heartache or tragedy, but deep down, both of them knew it wouldn't work. Slowly, Leah sank back down from her position, as she had raised herself up against him in order to compenstate for the difference in their height, until she rested down upon her knees once again, the soft curve of her patellas resting against the narrowed structure that were his hips, her hands falling a bit lifelessly into her lap, black eyes blinking into his own brown, clearly still trying to comprehend what it was he was saying, the seriousness of his offer. She could see how determined he was, how full of resolve he happened to be, and just how serious he was about keeping his promise to her, almost as if it were an oath. After an extended pause in which the silence stretched thin, Leah glanced at her hands, fiddling with the needle and string uselessly with the numbing appendages that were her fingers, almost as if this were too good or too much to believe. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head harder than what you thought?" She asked softly, ears falling back towards her skull in a slight manner, though she wasn't angry, nor was she upsest - just a bit discouraged, as she knew it would never work, and the idea that it could, only to have that hope snatched away, was rather depressing. Still, that wasn't why he had offered it, and a part of Leah knew this, and admired him for taking a stand, for showing initiative and asking, but no matter how she worded it, no matter how she explained, there was no denying it, there was no sugar coating, the hard, bitter truth. "I appreciate the offer, Welkin, but it'll never work. If Edward's gone he'll just keep me for himself, and beat me whenever he needs something to release the pressures and tensions of his frustration whenever he feels like it. He'd lock me back up in that horrible, rat infested basement, chain me to the wall so securely I had no hope of escape, and then proceed to punish and break me for the remainder of my lives rather than release me to you." She blinked, not looking at him now, the long blue locks of her hair drifting down into her face in an almost protective manner, hiding the tears that shimmered once more in her eyes, that had faintly begun to spill down her cheeks, though she could not hide or erase the tremble of quiet fear in her voice, despite the fact that she was comforted by his reassuring presence and the vow to her he had made. "I should probably just face it: No matter what I do or where I go, until they're both permanently dead, I'll never be free."

Welkin frowns slightly seeing how he had ruined the mood just a bit and lowered his ears. He gently grabbed Leah's chin tilting her head back and up so she could look up in to his eyes as he wiped her tears away that had began to run down her cheeks. He spoke to her softly, even more soft then he had before to comfort her "Then I will have to kill them both so no one can take you away from me... or me away from you Leah." He leaned in and gently kissed her haveing been emboldened by Leah's previous return of affection and how she reacted to his comforting embrace. She hadnt forced herself away and Welkin saw she was trying to cope and put her wall back up but he would have none of that. What was the point in living if she didnt enjoy her life? Welkin held her in his arms again forgetting he was topless and perhaps even Leah had forgotten that as well but right now his attention and thoughts were elsewhere. It was okay for Leah to let her walls down now. Even break down and cry if she had to because Welkin was right there with her. Even as his stiches lay crooked and unfinished he held her showing that unusual habit of putting others first, and protecting Leah at all costs. He pulled away after a few moments. Welkin leaned in and rested his forhead against Leah's looking in to her eyes and spoke again gently to her "I wont ever let him take you away. I wont let either of them win, even if I must loose another life or all of my lives i will make sure they are both taken care of.." Welkin knew the thought of his demise scared Leah inside with her walls down and he also made sure to comfort her in that reguard as well. "Dont worry though.. I dont plan on joining them in the afterlife so soon." He gave a smile to her and gently wiped any more tears that had ran down her cheeks away "Lets finish these stiches then we can perhaps lie down for a while.. okay?" He spoke reminding Leah she had a few more to do before she could fully relax and perhaps snuggle up with Welkin for as long as she wanted.